COPAA Conference Agenda Thursday, March 6, 2008 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Pre-Conference Skills Trainings—Day 1 Friday, March 7, 2008 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Pre-Conference Skills Training—Day 2 and Pre-Conference Special One Day Seminars 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm OPENING KEYNOTE SESSION – Thomas K. Gilhool, Esq. Retired, Chief Counsel, Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia (PILCOP); Founding COPAA Board Member Reception & Exhibits following Saturday, March 8, 2008 8:00 am - 6:00 pm Exhibits Open 9:00 am - 10:00 am GENERAL SESSION – Daniel J. Losen (J.D., M.Ed.), Senior Education Law and Policy Associate with The Civil Rights Project and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School 10:15 am – 11:30am Breakout Session I 12:00 to 1:15 pm Lunch (included) Presentation of the 2008 COPAA Awards 1:30 - 2:30 pm GENERAL SESSION: 2008 Annual Case Law Review Judith Gran, Esq., Founding and Current COPAA Board Member, Director, Disability Rights Project, Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia (PILCOP) 2:45 pm – 4:00 pm Breakout Session II 4:15 pm -5:30 pm Breakout Session III 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Reception featuring light fare, cash bar and Silent Auction to Benefit the Beth Goodman Scholarship Fund (Sponsored by College Living Experience) Sunday, March 9, 2008 8:30 am - 9:45 am Breakout Session IV 10:00 am – 11:15 am Breakout Session V 11:30 am – 12:30 pm COPAA Town Meeting—Learn about current COPAA initiatives, meet Officers and Committee Chairs and get involved! The COPAA conference is of most interest to advocates, attorneys and parents who represent special education students. Registration is NOT open to anyone who is employed by, or receives more than 50% of his/her income from state, local, or intermediate education agencies, or, in the case of an attorney, who represents or has represented such an agency or school district within the past five years. Registration is limited and is on a first come, first served basis. Participation for pre-conference sessions is limited to the specified number of registrants per pre-conference session, and is also on a first come, first served basis. Hotel Information Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort 1855 South Harbor Boulevard Anaheim, California 92802 Phone: (714) 750-1811 Reserve Your Room Online at http://www.copaa.org/conference/hotel.html or call 800-325-3535 and make sure to tell the reservation clerk that you are attending the COPAA Conference. The location of the 2008 COPAA Conference is the Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort. The hotel is ideally located across from the Disneyland® Resort and surrounded by theme parks, shopping, dining, and entertainment. The flexible meeting space is all conveniently located on the ground floor. When it's time to relax, take advantage of the multiple dining options and year-round pool bar! COPAA 2008 Conference Hotel Rates $159.00 per night for single or double room (does not include tax and assessment fees currently at 16%) Please make your reservations early to ensure a room at the conference site. COPAA has contracted for a block of rooms for COPAA conference attendees. The conference rate is good for reservations made prior to February 4, 2008. After February 4, 2008, all rooms in the block that have not been reserved by conference attendees will return to the hotel’s general inventory and may not be available at the discounted rate. The COPAA Conference traditionally sells out early, so make reservations now! Discounted onsite parking is available at the rate of $10.00 self-parking for all overnight guests of the Sheraton Park Hotel. For all other attendees parking is available for $17.00 per day. Scholarships A limited number of scholarships are available for applicants who meet criteria under COPAA Scholarship Policy. Please see Registration Form for application and qualification guidelines. Continuing Education Credit COPAA is an approved Continuing Legal Education provider in Illinois, Alaska, and Ohio. Participants who attend pre-conference sessions are generally eligible for 10 credits; General Conference participants are eligible for 11.5 credit hours. Participants should check with the applicable state bar or other applicable licensing organization to confirm continuing education requirements and, if applicable, transferability of credits. COPAA provides attendees with a certificate of attendance. Participants are required to submit for credit individually. The appropriate form will be available at the registration desk onsite. Questions Email: conference@copaa.org Phone: 410-372-0208 Two Day Skill Seminars Thursday, March 6, 2008 and Friday, March 7, 2008 Research Skills Training - Practical Experience in Finding What You Need This is a one and a half day, hands-on session on research. Through demonstrations and exercises with expert supervision, participants will learn effective online search techniques and the use of databases to locate peer-reviewed research. Participants will also learn how to compile a legislative history. The class will be taught by an experienced law librarian knowledgeable about special education issues. The course will be taught at the UCLA Law Library, located in Westwood on the west side of Los Angeles. This class is open to parents, attorneys and advocates. This is a fast-paced class that assumes computer proficiency. Participants are encouraged to reserve rooms at the UCLA Guesthouse for Wednesday and/or Thursday nights, across the street from the law school, www.guesthouse.ucla.edu . Please identify that you are attending training at the UCLA Law School, and book early as space is limited. Transportation to UCLA is on your own. Transportation will be provided to the COPAA Conference site in Anaheim on Friday at 2:00 p.m. to ensure participants are back for the opening keynote session. Seminar Leader: Linda Karr O’Connor Limit: 10 participants to allow everyone to receive individualized attention. Advocate Training: A Case Study and Practical Application This training is for experienced advocates (more than 4 years) who have a good working knowledge of the IDEA and its procedures. Participants will have the opportunity to work through an actual Alaska case and will review case records, determine case strategy options, and develop strategy by writing a mediation plan, state complaint or case summary for an attorney referral. Participants will learn time saving tips for intake, complete a records review, write a case summary/state complaint, strategize and complete a resolution meeting. The format for this training will include lectures, individual work, small group activities, large group discussions/feedback, writing a case summary/state complaint, and role-playing. Seminar Leaders: Sonja Kerr, Esq. and Teresa Holt, Advocate Limit: 50 participants Multi-sensory Reading Instruction The two day session on multi-sensory reading instruction will begin with the NICHD studies and the conclusions drawn by the National Reading Panel. These research conclusions point to the five critical areas for reading instruction for all children, and most especially for those with reading disabilities and dyslexia. This current research will serve as the focus for the 14 hours of training. Dyslexia myths will be discussed, followed by detailed descriptions about dyslexia. Multi-sensory reading instruction will be presented in detail along with the stages of reading and language, the structure of the English language, the importance of spelling instruction, and vocabulary development. Fluency will be reviewed along with comprehension needs of students with reading disabilities and dyslexia. This session will most relevant for parents, advocates, and attorneys and the reading issues facing their children. Successful completion of this 2 day training will qualify the participant for the Subscriber Level membership in the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. Seminar Leader: Elaine Holden, Ph.D. Limit: 50 participants Survival Guide to the IDEA: From the First Call Forward This program is designed for attorneys with no previous background or professional experience in special education law. The course will feature a review of relevant law and practice issues including a discussion of key IDEA statutes, regulations and major cases; the relationship of IDEA, 504, and ADA; research tools; and an overview of federal resources, including Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). The practice segment will allow participants to take a case from the first client call through a due process hearing request. Groups will learn how to structure the first interview, organize and review documents, analyze and prioritize issues, prepare for an IEP meeting, and prepare a due process hearing request. There will be discussion of alternative dispute resolution tools. Participants will have hands-on practice sessions in small groups. Seminar Leaders: Barbara J. Ebenstein, Esq., and others Limit: 20 participants Skills Training for Due Process Hearings This program is designed for attorneys familiar with the basics of IDEA, who want to focus on practice skills for due process hearings. Participants will review records, identify key issues and establish a trial plan with a selection of witnesses and exhibits. There will be discussion and demonstrations of how to prepare and organize direct and cross examinations, including guidelines on cross-examining expert witnesses. Each participant will complete an opening statement, direct examination, and cross examination. Participants will be given individual critiques during each exercise by experienced special-education attorneys. Seminar Leaders: Franklin J. Hickman, Esq., and others Limit: 30 participants Advanced Training for IDEA Cases Designed for attorneys who are familiar with IDEA basics, this program focuses on strategic analysis and development of effective due process strategies. This training includes identifying non-traditional or alternative strategies (i.e., political, media, community based and/or administrative) which may supplement or substitute for due process hearings. Participants will identify systemic issues and review alternatives for establishing a record for possible appeal in State and Federal Court. Registrants must have participated in at least two due process hearings in order to qualify for this session. Seminar Leader: Matthew Cohen, Esq. Limit: 20 participants Advanced Attorneys Skills Training: The Federal Court Experience This workshop is for more experienced attorneys who have IDEA litigation experience. The program is skills-based; focusing on litigation strategies and techniques for use in federal court. Also addressed will be the protection of the record for review. The course features new practice materials. Each participant will be individually critiqued during the small group exercises. Registrants will be asked to complete a pre-conference questionnaire to determine level of experience/grouping assignments. Some limited pre-conference reading may be suggested. This course is only open, except upon special request, to attorneys who have participated in the COPAA Skills Training for Due Process Hearing which has been offered at previous COPAA conferences. For those who have previously participated in the Federal Courts workshop, please consider participating in the "Advanced Attorney Seminar" which is offered on Friday, March 7. Seminar Leaders: Attorneys Selene A. Almazan, Mark B. Martin, Alice K. Nelson, Stephen A. Rosenbaum and Dawn Smith. Limit: 50 participants Law Student Special Education Law Training Conference This two day conference is designed for the law student who is interested in practicing in the area of special education law. The presentation style is interactive and seeks maximum participant involvement. The conference materials will provide a comprehensive documentary foundation, including important legal references and resources. The basic structure of special education law, including advocacy and litigation strategies, will be covered. Emphasis will be placed upon practical application of special education law, providing essential advocacy and legal skills training. Experienced advocates are also welcome to attend this training. Trainers: Mark S. Kamleiter, Esq., Wayne Steedman, Esq. Limit: 40 participants One Day Special Seminars Friday, March 7, 2008 Advanced Attorney Seminar: Is Rowley Dead or Dying? This new one-day workshop is designed for attorneys who have participated in the Advanced Attorney Skills Pre-Conference Workshop. The seminar will focus on the standard for FAPE in light of IDEA 2004 and NCLB. Participants will work together to develop effective litigation strategies that advance the interests of our clients. Current case law and evidentiary issues will be discussed. Participants will receive materials to review before the workshop. Seminar Leaders: Michele Kule-Korgood, Esq. and Jonathan Zimring, Esq. Limit: 25 attorney participants Making the Most of Neuropsychological Assessments: Interpreting Data, Development of Appropriate Goals, Services and Placements This day long, pre-conference session will provide an in-depth look at neuropsychological/psycho-educational testing, beginning with an overview of the wide range of test instruments used and the process itself using current case studies. Recommendations that flow from the assessments through the technical interpretation of test data will be closely examined. We will discuss developing appropriate goals, services and placements based upon assessment results. The participation of neuropsychologists in IEP meetings, mediation and due process hearings will also be covered. Seminar Leaders: Carina Grandison, Ph.D., Neuropsychologist; Kathryn Dobel, Esq. Limit: This session is open to all attendees and is limited to 120 participants Saturday, March 8, 2008 Breakout Session I 10:30 am – 11:45 am 1. A Quiet Revolution: Building Statewide Capacity through Community Advocacy This session discusses how to create and sustain a statewide advocacy training program using Georgia's Parent Leadership Support Project as a model. Graduates of this project have advocated voluntarily on behalf of 2000 families across Georgia, increasing access to a high quality education and strong community for students with disabilities. Presenters: Leslie K. Lipson, J.D.; Marcy McCall Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Intermediate Understanding the Reimbursement Remedy This presentation explores all issues relating to obtaining reimbursement for a unilateral placement; including notice requirements, alternative arguments for reimbursement, elements of proof under the different reimbursement theories, recent case law, and current issues related to reimbursement. Presenters: Richard L. O'Meara, Esq.; Nicole L. Bradick Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Intermediate/Advanced Strategies and Scripts for Productive School Meetings When school administrators say "no" to needed services or try to use delay tactics, what can we do? This session presents scripts for navigating IEP meetings related to requests for eligibility, independent educational evaluations, research-based instruction, and placement. Presenter: Diane Willcutts Intended Audience: Advocate or Parent Audience Experience: Intermediate Functional Behavior Assessments: An Introduction for Parents Despite clearly stating a presumption in favor of positive behavior intervention methods and requiring the completion of a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) for students whose behavior is determined to be a manifestation of their disability, 2004 IDEA Regulations are silent as to what a meaningful and valid assessment includes and who is qualified to complete an FBA. What's a parent to do? This presentation helps demystify the FBA process, and prepare participants to effectively participate in an FBA process in the future. Presenters: Missy Alexander; Siobhan Ponder, LCSW, MA Intended Audience: Parent Audience Experience: Novice 5. The Effective Advocate This session explores the essential elements of effective educational advocacy for parents, parent-advocates, or attorneys. The workshop is interactive and designed to develop effective advocacy and problem-solving skills through a case-study and enquiry process. Content will cover advocacy responsibilities, competencies (skills, knowledge-base), communications, ethics, and strategies. Presenters: Mark S. Kamleiter, Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Novice 6. Systemic Strategies for Stopping the School-to-Prison Pipeline for Students Approximately 70% of the students in our juvenile delinquency system are students with disabilities. This presentation discusses Southern Poverty Law Center's New Orleans based School-to-Prison Reform Project's national efforts to mobilize, coordinate and collaborate with other programs. Our goal is to attain systemic educational relief for students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Act, and thereby interrupt the flow of the school to prison pipeline for this population of students. This presentation also discusses various strategies used by attorneys to obtain such systemic relief for students with disabilities in Louisiana and Mississippi. Presenters: Jim Comstock-Galagan, Esq. Ron Lospennato, Esq.; Courtney Bowie, Esq.; Eden Heilman, Esq. Intended Audience: Attorneys Audience Experience: Intermediate/Advanced 7. Expanding the Bar: Using Volunteer Attorneys for Special Education Representation This session includes full discussion of the organization, development and efficacy of a pro bono special education project for low and middle-income families of children with special education needs. Presenters: Dawn Smith, Esq.; Craig Goodmark, Esq. Intended Audience: Attorneys Audience Experience: Intermediate 8. Open Records & Open Access: Sunshine in the Schools This presentation focuses on FERPA, IDEA, State Open Records Act and HIPAA provisions regarding records access and confidentiality. Special issues such as computerized records, enforceability and discovery are discussed. The presentation also discusses the rights of parents and experts/consultants to observe in the classroom. Presenter: Jessica Butler, Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Intermediate Saturday, March 8, 2008 Breakout Session II 2:45 pm – 4:00 pm 9. Artful Use of Hardware & Software to Streamline Special Ed Practice Two experienced special education attorneys offer tips and strategies for maximizing your law practice efficiency and cost-cutting via software, hardware and gadgetry so that you can focus on the practice of law instead of paperwork. They explain how to create a nearly paperless and streamlined electronic or "virtual" office, from which either single or multiple attorneys and advocates can work together even from different locations throughout the United States. Presenters: Dorene Philpot, Esq., Catherine M. Michael, Esq. Intended Audience: Attorneys Audience Experience: Novice 10. Litigating LRE Cases In order to successfully litigate a case based on the least restrictive environment (LRE) requirement of the IDEA, an attorney must have both a solid understanding of the statutory framework and the case law that interprets it, and an understanding of how to craft and present a persuasive argument. This session explains the intricacies of LRE law and the rationale for choosing the appropriate forum for a particular case. Presenter: Selene Almazan, Esq. Intended Audience: Attorneys Audience Experience: Intermediate/Advanced 11. To RTI or Not to RTI IDEA 2004 has authorized the implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) as a means of providing early and prompt remediation to children with learning difficulties. Although noble in its concept, RTI presents schools with a framework for teaching young students that is poorly defined with respect to the implementation of a tier system, teacher training, fidelity to instruction, and progress monitoring. This workshop presents an overview of RTI, progress monitoring tools, and the implications for students with educational disabilities. Presenter: Melissa Farrall, Ph.D. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Novice 12. Reading Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities: Let's Raise the Bar Many students are excluded from effective reading instruction based on their disability. This presentation focuses on what we know about teaching reading to children with significant disabilities, specifically students with intellectual disabilities. Alternate strategies for accessing curriculum, including assistive technology are explored. Presenters: Kathleen Whitbread Ph.D., Anne Eason, Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Novice 13. Assistive Technology and the IDEA This seminar informs participants of the legal requirements for assistive technology (AT)devices and services for students with disabilities. Participants will learn the statutory and regulatory framework of AT, and receive an overview of relevant case law. We will also address the history of assistive technology requirements of the IDEA; including understanding when AT was added to the IDEA, and why it is important that we advocate for AT devices and services. Presenter: Sonja D. Kerr, Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Intermediate/Advanced 14. Representing Foster Children under the IDEA 2004 This presentation highlights the changes from IDEA 2004 that effect the representation of children in the dependency system. It also provides information and sample material on how to use the change in the law within your community to facilitate appointments of surrogate parents by Dependency Court judges. Presenters: Rebekah Gleason, Esq.; Jodi Siegel, Esq. Intended Audience: Attorney Audience Experience: Novice 15. Advocating For Children with Social Language Delay This presentation explores the educational interventions that help children with social language delays experience success in the school setting. Compensations, accommodations, modifications, and strategies are discussed. Classroom tips and techniques are given for teacher and aide planning in the classroom. Essential pragmatic language goals and objectives and assessment techniques such as a pragmatic language chart are discussed. Presenter: Susan Diamond, SLP Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Novice 16. How Your SEA Really Works: An Insider's Perspective Have you ever wondered how to effect change in your State Education Agency (SEA)? Do you want insight into who has real power? Want to learn how an SEA walks the tight rope between technical assistance and oversight to school districts? A former SEA insider, now with the Florida Protection and Advocacy Center, gives persepectives on how SEAs really work. Presenter: April Katine , M.S. Intended Audience: All Audience Experience: Novice Saturday, March 8, 2008 Breakout Session III 4:15 pm -5:30 pm 17. Advocating for Children in Foster Care This presentation covers critical information for advocates and attorneys who need to navigate the myriad of confusing federal and state statutes, regulations, and state policy manuals that govern the education, placement and treatment of children in foster care. Information regarding the various treatment facilities into which foster children may be placed (i.e. psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric residential treatment facilities); state statutes regarding the removal and commitment of children; the responsibilities of social workers and, where applicable, state Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) are discussed. Presenters: Melissa Bowman, Esq.; Heidi Schissler Lanham, Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Novice/Intermediate Legal Claims Related to Bullying and Harassment It is impossible to receive a free and appropriate public education in an unsafe environment. Teasing, name-calling, bullying, and joking, even if egregiously cruel, do not create a discriminatory hostile environment. But if the teasing, name-calling, bullying, and/or joking tend to indicate discriminatory intent, school personnel and school districts can face liability for the hostile environment. This seminar will discuss the differing standards for liability depending upon which statutory claims the student pursues. Section 504 and the ADA prohibit discriminatory harassment in public schools, but claims may require notice to and deliberate indifference of school officials. A hostile environment could render a placement inappropriate under IDEA, even without actual knowledge of district officials. Finally, state law claims may have differing standards for liability. Presenters: Catherine Merino Reisman, Esq.; Amelia Carolla, Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Novice 19. The LRE for Students with Significant Disabilities: General Education Students with limited or no speech, cognitive disabilities, autism, or other developmental disabilities can and should be educated in general education classes in their neighborhood school. This session describes how such students can be successfully included, using a case study and picture illustrations. Presenter: Carol Quirk, Ed.D. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Novice 20. Advocates & Attorneys: Working Collaboratively for the Benefit of the Student This session is a facilitated discussion, not a lecture or seminar. The participants will work as a group to clarify the differing roles of advocates and attorneys. The facilitators will to develop and use a number of scenarios to identify the issues. Presenters: Andrew Feinstein, Esq.; Patricia Howey Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Intermediate 21. Effectively Using Two Misunderstood Rights: The IEE and Informed Consent This session addresses the legal meaning and enforcement of the Independent Educational Evaluation ("IEE") and the right of informed consent. A framework for their use and enforcement, including tactics and application, is provided. Also addressed is the use and impact of IEEs on parent participation and the right to observe. Presenters: Jonathan A. Zimring, Esq.; Deborah Mattison, Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Intermediate/Advanced 22. Strategic Planning for Effective IEP Meetings, Mediation, and Resolution Effective advocacy is the process of setting priorities. Parents and advocates need to have a plan going into an IEP meeting, resolution session or mediation. In this session participants learn what to look for in an evaluator and how to understand test evaluations. They also learn how to document concerns, stick to facts, manage the clock wisely and avoid common pitfalls used against them in IEP meetings and at due process. This presentation provides practical advice and tips to achieve meaningful educational goals for a student, with the view that due process should be the very last resort, and used only when preparations in the earliest stages of advocacy are made to increase the likelihood of success. Presenters: Charles Fox, Esq. Intended Audience: Advocate/Parent Audience Experience: Novice How to Maximize Your Section 504/ADA Complaint with OCR Ever wonder how and when to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Rights (OCR)? An attorney from that agency will tell you the dos, don’ts, and pitfalls. This session explains OCR and what it is and the laws it enforces, including: jurisdiction under Section 504 and the ADA; what is and what is not a viable complaint to OCR; forum selection; time periods for filing a complaint; how to file a complaint; paths to resolution; remedies if a finding of non-compliance is made; and, what to do if OCR doesn’t do what you want. Presenters: David LaDue , Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Intermediate/Advanced 24. Special Needs School Vouchers: Greater Options but Fewer Rights Five states (Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Ohio and Utah) have recently enacted legislation creating school vouchers for children with special needs. About a dozen other additional states are considering the option. Voucher programs allow parents, regardless of income, to apply public funds towards private school tuitions. While vouchers may give parents a way out of unsatisfactory school programs, participating parents lose most of their rights under the IDEA. How do these programs work logistically? How successful have they been so far? What implications do they have for special education advocacy, law and policy? How can you expand your practice to include this new area of the law? Those questions and others are addressed by the presenter who is a leading special needs voucher expert in Florida – the first state in the country to enact such a program. Presenters: Allison Hertog, J.D. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Novice Sunday, March 9, 2008 Breakout Session IV 8:30 am - 9:45 am 25. Time for a New Dispute Resolution Procedure? Thanks to recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, parents without lawyers now face additional barriers: recovering attorney's fees, meeting the burden of proof and paying for experts. Maybe it's time to consider a radically different dispute resolution procedure—a procedure that focuses solely on the child's educational program, does not require attorneys, invokes true educational expertise and can't be litigated indefinitely—and might be fairer, faster and shorter to boot! Presenter: S. James Rosenfeld, Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Novice 26. Building and Sustaining a Successful Advocacy Practice In this session novice and experienced advocates, as well as those who want to become advocates, learn pragmatic tips and practical strategies for avoiding burnout from two advocates with over 35 combined years of advocacy experience. Presenters: Patricia Howey, Brice Palmer Intended Audience: Advocate/Parent Audience Experience: Novice/Intermediate 27. Making the Most of the Attorney/Client Relationship -- For Attorneys The limited availability of qualified attorneys in special education often means that those who do practice in this field are overworked, and therefore vulnerable to complaints from and disputes with clients. This workshop provides guidance and practical tools that allows attorneys to simultaneously protect your clients' interests and your reputation. Presenters: Jennifer D. Laviano, Esq.; Dana A. Jonson, Esq. Intended Audience: Attorneys Audience Experience: Novice 28. Relief Is In Cite: The Hit Parade's Top Forty Special Education Citations It's been thirty-five years since the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 forced open the schoolhouse doors for children with disabilities, and thirty-three years since the IDEA debuted and took over center stage. The presenters offers a lighthearted, yet seriously important, survey of the special education hit parade over this period, focusing on the top forty case citations and quotations from courts and hearing officers that every attorney and advocate representing children with disabilities needs to know in order to rock the house and avoid the blues. Presenter: Richard L. O'Meara, Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Intermediate/Advanced 29. Can a School Punish a Child for His/Her Disability? (Sadly, the answer is yes.) This session covers general rules of discipline, acceptable forms of punishment, calling police, limits on school rules, Honig v. Doe, statutory erosions of Honig, FBAs, BIPs, manifestation determination, alternative interim placements, weapons and drugs, sexual harassment, statutory enigmas, expedited hearings, and practice tips. Presenter: Andrew A. Feinstein, Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Intermediate 30. Learning Style and the Sin of Omission One of the most important (and least understood) parts of an IEP is the description of a child's style of learning. Its purpose is to focus teachers (and parents) on teaching methods and strategies that will complement how the individual student learns. This workshop focuses on styles of learning as determined by performance on IQ tests, common misunderstanding related to the concept of "learning style," and recommendations for additional assessment and programming. Presenter: Melissa Farrall, Ph.D. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Novice 31. Practical Tips for Divorced/Separated Parents & Advocates in IEP Process This session discusses the overlap of family law issues intertwined with the IEP process when districts and public or private agencies are involved with families of divorce. The following issues are explored: legal custody issues that arise in the context of general educational decisions and assessments; Court orders, and special education rights in the IEP process; ethical standards of the American Psychological Association/Board of Behavioral Science that also pertains to divided families in the IEP context. We will then take the participants through the IEP process and make suggestions along the way for ways to anticipate conflict and reduce them in order to reach agreements with divided parents. Presenters: Mara Berke, Esq., Renee Cohen, Lauren Giardina, Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Intermediate/Advanced 32. IEEs Made Simple This session provides an overview of the requirements under the IDEA for obtaining an Independent Educational Evaluation. Analyzing district's assessments, deciding whether to obtain an IEE, process of requesting an IEE , and things to consider when making a request, are discussed. The presentation will also discuss what the District needs to do once you request an IEE, what constitutes "unreasonable delay," and provide a review of statutes, OSEP interpretations, and case law in various circuits when interpreting the timeline under which Districts must respond. The presentation will conclude with a practical component as participants analyze sample school district policy statements regarding IEEs and learn to utilize these rules to effectively obtain IEEs at District expense. Presenters: Mandy Favaloro, Esq.; Carrie Watt, Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Novice/Intermediate Sunday, March 9, 2008 Breakout Session V 10:00 am – 11:15 am RTI: Better SLD Determinations or Barrier to Eligibility? This workshop will explore methods, models, promises and pitfalls of RTI and will compare RTI with the advantages and disadvantages of the severe discrepancy method. Emerging case law and anticipated legal trends related to specific learning disability identification will also be reviewed. Presenters: David T. Painter, Ph.D., J.D.; Tanya Alvarado, Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Intermediate Making the Most of the Attorney/Client Relationship -- For Parents Jennifer D. Laviano, Esq.; Dana A. Jonson, Esq. By the time parents have made the decision to hire an attorney, they are frustrated with their school district, and overwhelmed by the process. This workshop provides information to help participants make the most of the attorney/client relationship, including helpful hints for effective communication with counsel to keep costs down, and increase the likelihood for positive outcomes. Presenters: Jennifer D. Laviano, Esq.; Dana A. Jonson, Esq. Intended Audience: Advocates/Parents Audience Experience: Novice Special Education Advocates Training (SEAT) This presentation provides an overview of the effort to meet the growing need for trained, knowledgeable special education advocates. The purpose of SEAT, a joint initiative of The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc. (COPAA) and The Center for Disability Studies and Community Inclusion at the University of Southern California University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, is to develop a national training curriculum under an Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Research and Innovation Model Development Grant. The project is in its third year of implementation. Presenters: Barbara Wheeler, Ph.D.; Denise Marshall, M.S., Executive Director, COPAA Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: All 36. Charter Schools: Implications on Special Education Charter Schools: Implications on Special Education Charter Schools are quickly becoming a viable alternative for parents seeking smaller class size and creative teaching methods. Discussion includes the history of charter schools, charter school laws, how special education laws apply to charter schools, and the pros and cons of enrolling a special education student at a charter school. Presenters: Areva D. Martin, Esq.; Tara L. Canady, Esq. Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Novice Building the Case: Addressing Key Factors at the IEP Table This session highlights a number of precedent-setting judicial and agency decisions; presented to provide a general framework for advocates to consider in reviewing cases and developing defensible advocacy strategies. Advocates learn how to apply case rulings in building an effective defense and advocating for the needs of eligible clients at the IEP table. Common areas of dispute such as: FAPE, Inclusion, Discipline, Related Services and Private Schools/Services are discussed. Presenters: Sonja D. Kerr, Esq., Lori Waldinger Intended Audience: All Attendees Audience Experience: Intermediate/Advanced Administration, Information and Relationship Management Qualities for Success The three fundamental elements of successfully supporting educational success for children with special needs are: Administration, Information and Relationship management. This session teaches parents and advocates the basic elements of each and provides a variety of strategies to implement immediately for increased success and productivity. Presenters: Donna Gilcher; Deb Hall Intended Audience: Advocate or Parent Audience Experience: Novice 39. FAPE Under IDEA 2004 -- From Access to Results Congress made dramatic changes to the IDEA 2004 during the Reauthorization by moving away from technical procedural compliance and emphasizing results. IDEA 2004 incorporates the accountability provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which requires a plan for all students with disabilities to meet state achievement standards by 2014, as well as the demand to provide special education validated by peer-reviewed research whenever practicable. IDEA 2004 requires IEPs to provide more than mere access to the doors of public education. Presenters: Michael Cochrane, Esq.; Stephen Cochrane, Ph.D. Intended Audience: Attorney Audience Experience: Advanced 40. From the Start--A Pound of Prevention This mini "How To" course covers the steps necessary to ensure students receive an effective education from the first day they are identified as having a disability. Parents and advocates will receive tips and materials that will assist them as they maneuver through the special education maze. Presenters: Karen Dalglish Seal, Esq.; Kassandra Levay Intended Audience: Advocate/Parent Audience Experience: Novice Page # 2008 COPAA Conference Page # 2008 COPAA Conference Page # Information Page # 2008 COPAA Conference Page # Two Day Pre-Conference Training Page # Two-Day Pre-Conference Training Page # Pre-Conference Sessions Page # Breakout Sessions Breakout Sessions Page # Breakout Sessions Page # Breakout Sessions Document Title Document Title Page # Breakout Sessions Page # Breakout Sessions Page # Breakout Sessions Document Title Document Title Page # Page # Document Title Document Title Page # Page # Page # COPAA Conference Committee Document Title Document Title Document Title Document Title Document Title Document Title Pre-conference training fee includes registration for main conference. Two Day (Thurs & Fri) Pre-Conference Skills Training $475 for participants who are Advocates, Parents, Law Students and other attendees $675 for Attorneys One Day (Fri) Pre-Conference Training $425 for participants who are Advocates, Parents, Law Students and Other attendees $525 for Attorneys Main Conference Only $350 for all participants Registration Discounts For registrations received by COPAA on or before February 1, 2008 $50.00 Active COPAA members (including those who are applying for $50.00 Or renewing their membership with their registration) Only registrations received with payment will be processed. We are unable to hold space without payment. Register online at www.copaa.org or use form on pages 21-23. Conference Registration New This Year Thomas K. Gilhool A graduate of Lehigh University, Yale University and Yale Law School, Mr. Gilhool joined the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia (PILCOP) in 1975 where he concentrated his practice in disabilities rights and early childhood development, including state-of-the-art educational practices and children's health care. He worked at PILCOP until 1986 when he left to serve Governor Robert P. Casey as the first Philadelphian in the history of the Commonwealth to be appointed Secretary of Education. Mr. Gilhool is a nationally recognized leader in the disabilities rights movement. He is credited with the rise of community services for people with developmental disabilities and was a major player in the passage of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Mr. Gilhool represented the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children in PARC v. Pennsylvania. This case was pivotal in establishing the Constitutional right of children with disabilities to a public education and led to the enactment of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Mr. Gilhool was lead counsel in Halderman v. Pennhurst, a critical case that both initiated and fueled the national movement for the de-institutionalization of persons with disabilities. In addition, Mr. Gilhool was lead counsel in Scott v. Snider, the Pennsylvania case to enforce Title XIX Medicaid statutes that tripled the number of eligible children enrolled in the program from 300,000 to 900,000. In 1991, Mr. Gilhool received the Philadelphia Bar Association's Obermeyer Award for service to education and in 2002 he was honored by the American Academy of Pediatrics with its President's Award for Outstanding Service. Mr. Gilhool spent 2003-04 on a Fulbright scholarship in Japan and wrote comparatively about the legal and non-legal strategies used to advance the rights of persons with disabilities. Daniel J. Losen Mr. Losen is a Senior Education Law and Policy Associate with The Civil Rights Project (CRP) and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School. His work at CRP concerns the impact of federal, state and local education law and policy on students of color. His most recent efforts have focused on addressing the school to prison pipeline, and implementation concerns about the No Child Left Behind Act. Mr Losen’s related written work includes: a chapter, Graduation Rate Accountability under the No Child Left Behind Act and the Disparate Impact on Students of Color, for the book, “Dropouts in America: Confronting the Graduation Rate Crisis,” a law review article, “Challenging Racial Disparities: The Promise and Pitfalls of the No Child Left Behind Act’s Race-conscious Accountability,” (Continued) (Continued from page 2) and co-authoring numerous reports on the graduation rate crisis, including the national report, “Losing Our Future, How Minority Youth Are Being Left Behind By The Graduation Rate Crisis,” released jointly in 2004 with the Urban Institute and Advocates for Children of New York. Mr. Losen also co-edited “Racial Inequity in Special Education,” and co-authored “The Role of Law in Policing Abusive Disciplinary Practices: Why School Discipline is a Civil Rights Issue,” a chapter in “Zero Tolerance: Resisting the Drive For Punishment in Our Schools.” Upon graduating law school, Mr. Losen practiced education law for economically disadvantaged students as a legal services advocate in Massachusetts. Before becoming a lawyer, Mr. Losen taught in public schools for ten years, including work as a school founder of an alternative public school. Judith A. Gran Ms. Gran is a cum laude graduate of Temple University School of Law where she was a staff member of the Temple Law Quarterly. She holds an A.B. with honors from Wellesley College and an A.M. from the University of Chicago in political science. She was awarded a Fulbright-Hayes fellowship for research in Egypt and she was a National Defense Title IV and Title VI fellow. Ms. Gran joined the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia (PILCOP) in 1984. Ms. Gran has devoted her legal career to representing persons with disabilities and their organizations in litigation, providing training, technical assistance and counseling. She has represented thousands of students with disabilities and their parents in due process hearings and cases arising under IDEA and Section 504 in federal court around the country, including individual and class action cases in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, Florida, Minnesota, Missouri and Oklahoma. Ms. Gran was lead counsel in Gaskin v. Commonwealth, PILCOP’s groundbreaking class action against Pennsylvania education officials brought on behalf of a coalition of eleven state and local organizations, a class of 280,000 special education students, and twelve named plaintiffs, which ended in an historic settlement in 2005 that created detailed protocols for carrying out the mandates of the IDEA in Pennsylvania. An authority on the movement of individuals with developmental disabilities from institutions to community-based residences, Ms. Gran has represented institutionalized persons in class action suits in Pennsylvania, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Tennessee. 2008 COPAA Conference Page # General Session Speakers Page # All registrants are required to select a breakout from each of the five sessions below. This is for determining adequate session room size only. You may change your selection during the conference (without notifying COPAA). Conference Registration Page # Conference Registration Form Page # Conference Registration Form Page # COPAA Membership Application Page # 208 Silent Auction in Support of the Beth Goodman Scholarship Fund Saturday March 8th 6:00 - 8:00 PM Come prepared to shop at the auction Saturday night!! Each year COPAA accepts contributions for the Beth Goodman scholarship fund. The money helps defray conference expenses for COPAAns who have made substantial advocacy contributions but who could not otherwise afford to attend the conference. Your donation will be well spent and will help train parents, attorneys, advocates, and others. The scholarship honors the memory of Beth Goodman. Beth was an outstanding member of the COPAA Board, an attorney who dedicated her life to fighting for students with disabilities in Washington DC. The money raised as part of the auction benefits the fund. To donate an item for the auction please email conference@copaa.org To contribute to the Beth Goodman scholarship fund, simply enclose a donation with your registration or visit the COPAA website. Thank you to our sponsors College Living Experience www.cleinc.net ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Applicable Conference Cost: MasterCard Visa Credit Card # Method of Payment Exp. date Check Signature Please indicate your experience level (Number of years in practice as an attorney or special education advocate; for parents please tell us how long your child has been receiving special education services) Attorney ________ years Special Education Advocate ________ years Parent ________ years If you register after March 1, 2008 we cannot guarantee that you will receive the conference materials at the time of registration check-in. You will receive a full refund of your registration fee if we receive notice of your cancellation on or before March 1, 2008. Thereafter cancellations will be subject to a $75 administrative fee. Please indicate any special needs (physical accommodations, communication needs, or dietary restrictions) and/or accommodations of which we should be aware: ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Please select one workshop each time period on page 23. This form must accompany your registration. Friday, March 7, 2008 5:00—6:00 PM Opening Keynote Address Saturday, March 8, 2008 5:00—6:00 PM General Session Saturday, March 8, 2008 1:30 - 2:30 PM General Session Breakout Sessions Breakout Sessions Breakout Sessions Breakout Sessions 2008 Conference Committee Rose Marie Archibald—Conference Chair Wendy Byrnes—Conference Co-Chair Selene A. Almazan Barbara J. Ebenstein Frank Hickman Mark Kamleiter Michele Kule-Korgood Alice K. Nelson Jodi Siegel Wayne Steedman 2008 Proposal Review Committee Rose Marie Archibald Wendy Byrnes Selene A. Almazan Eileen Crumm Alice K. Nelson Mark Kamleiter Jamie Ruppmann Jan Serak Jodi Siegel Diane Willcutts Please choose your registration category. Registration for Pre-conference Skills Training includes Conference Registration Attorney Advocate Parent/Other Research Skills Training - Practical Experience in Finding What You Need $675 $475 $475 Advocate Training: A Case Study and Practical Application n/a $475 $475 Multi-sensory Reading Instruction $675 $475 $475 Survival Guide to the IDEA: From the First Call Forward $675 n/a n/a Skills Training for Due Process Hearings $675 n/a n/a Making the Most of Neuropsychological Assessments: Interpreting Data, Development of Appropriate Goals, Services and Placements $525 $475 $475 Advanced Attorney Seminar:  Is Rowley Dead or Dying? $675 n/a n/a $350 $350 $350 Conference Only Registration Advanced Training for IDEA Cases $675 n/a n/a Advanced Attorneys Skills Training:  The Federal Court Experience $675 n/a n/a Law Student Special Education Law Training Conference n/a $475 $475 Subtract $50 if mailed before 2/1 /08 Subtract $50 if member or joining now Add fee if joining now (see p.24) COPAA Membership: Total Due: Invitation to Sponsor and Exhibit The Annual COPAA conference draws over 400 attendees from across the country for intensive training, exhibits, workshops, and meetings. This is your opportunity to reach hundreds of decision makers to promote your business and its services, as well as promote your interest in supporting excellence in special education for students with disabilities. For maximum visibility at the conference we suggest you consider sponsorship. Sponsorship opportunities include space in the vendor marketplace, web and print promotion, and other benefits. Be sure to place an ad in COPAA’s 10th Anniversary Conference Edition. For more information please visit www.copaa.org or contact www.COPAA.org March 6-9, 2008 Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort COPAA is a national voice for special education rights. This conference provides unique opportunities for training and networking with experienced and knowledgeable attorneys, advocates and parents on special education issues. Participants will learn about the most recent cases, legislative changes, and the latest disability specific educational interventions. www.copaa.org Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates Promoting excellence in special education advocacy nationwide New This Year COPAA Conference Registration COPAA Conference Registration Form (There are two ways to register) 1. Register online at http://www.copaa.org/conference and pay by credit card (Preferred) 2. Mail registration forms and pay by check (payable to COPAA) to: COPAA Conference Registration PO BOX 6767 Towson, Maryland 21285 Please PRINT clearly: Name ____________________________________________________________ Organization _______________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________ City _____________________________________________________________ State, Zip _________________________________ Phone _______________________________ E-Mail ____________________________________ COPAA Membership Status Join Now and Save $50 on the Conference Registration Fee! [ ] I am a current dues paid member of COPPA. [ ] I wish to join COPAA or renew my membership. For online registration information go to www.COPAA.org and click on “Join Us”. Mail-in form is at the back of this brochure. [ ] I am not currently a member of COPAA and I do not wish to join at this time. Applying for a Registration Scholarship: A limited number of registration scholarships are available to pay for the conference registration fee. YOU MUST MAIL IN YOUR REGISTRATION BY February 25, 2008. Please check off the following statement: [ ] I certify that my income is at or below the federal poverty level. The current federal poverty level is $10,210 for a single person, $13,690 for a family of two, $17,170 for a family of three and $20,650 for a family of four. For a family of more than four, add $3,468 for each additional person. Members with extraordinary expenses that effectively reduce their family income to the poverty level may also qualify for the $5 membership fee. Membership Application Membership Categories and Annual Dues (Select One) Advocate - Works in a paid or volunteer capacity to assist parents of children with disabilities in special education matters. Annual Dues: $50.00___ Attorney - has passed the bar regardless of the extent of their practice. Annual Dues: $150___ Parent - has a child with a disability and does not fall into any of the other categories. Annual Dues: $50 ___ Other - please specify ________________________________. Annual Dues: $50___ Applicants who work for the same organization may join at the individual rate or together at the organizational rate of $400. Each individual member must complete an individual application and submit it with the organization's payment. Name: ________________________________________________________________ Organization: ___________________________________________________________ Street: ________________________________________________________________ City: _______________________________State_________ Zip: ___________________ Telephone: ___________________________Email: _________________________ If you want to use an e-mail address other than the one above for the COPAA Listservs, please Indicate. Listserv Email: __________________________________________ Is the information listed your: ______ Home address/phone ______ Work address/phone COPAA's information and activities are communicated through the Internet. We cannot ensure you will receive notice of all COPAA events if you do not have an email address. The applicant/member understands that any use or reproduction of documents provided on the COPAA website without COPAA permission is restricted to the individual's personal use or for use on behalf of a client to promote advocacy on behalf of a child with a disability. Any use contrary to the Mission and Purpose of COPAA is prohibited. Mass distribution is permitted only with express written consent of COPAA. I certify that I am currently a member or am eligible for membership status. I certify that I am not employed by, or receive more than 50% of my income from state, intermediate or local education agencies, nor am I an attorney who represents or has represented such an agency within the past five years. Signature: __________________________________ Date: ___________________ Mail completed application and check made payable to COPAA to: COPAA PO BOX 6767 Towson, Maryland 21285 Questions on COPAA Membership? Email: membership@copaa.org Breakout Session I - 10:30 am – 11:45 am 1. Quiet Revolution: Building Statewide Capacity through Community Advocacy (ALL) 2. Understanding the Reimbursement Remedy (ALL) 3. Strategies and Scripts for Productive School Meetings (ADVOCATE/PARENT) 4. Functional Behavior Assessments: An Introduction for Parents (PARENT) 5. The Effective Advocate (ALL) 6. Systemic Strategies for Stopping the School-to-Prison Pipeline for Students (ATTORNEY) 7. Expanding the Bar: Using Volunteer Attorneys for Special Education Representation (ATTORNEY) 8. Open Records & Open Access: Sunshine in the Schools (ALL) Breakout Session II - 2:45 pm – 4:00 pm 9. Artful Use of Hardware & Software to Streamline Special Ed Practice (ATTORNEY) 10. Litigating LRE Cases (ATTORNEY) 11. To RTI or Not to RTI (ALL) 12. Reading Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities: Let’s Raise the Bar (ALL) 13. Assistive Technology and the IDEA (ALL) 14. Representing Foster Children under the IDEA 2004 (ATTORNEY) 15. Understanding Children with Social Language Deficits (ALL) 16. How your SEA really works: An Insider's Perspective (ATTORNEY) Breakout Session III - 4:15 pm -5:30 pm 17. Advocating for Children in Foster Care (ALL) 18. Legal Claims Related to Bullying and Harassment (ALL) 19. The LRE for Students with Significant Disabilities: General Education (ALL) 20. Advocates & Attorneys: Working Collaboratively for the Benefit of the Student (ALL) 21. Effectively Using Two Misunderstood Rights: The IEE and Informed Consent (ALL) 22. Strategic Planning for Effective IEP Meetings, Mediation, and Resolution (ADVOCATE/PARENT) How to Maximize Your Section 504/ADA Complaint with OCR (ALL) 24. Special Needs School Vouchers: Greater Options but Fewer Rights (ALL) Breakout Session IV- 8:30 am - 9:45 am 25. Time for a New Dispute Resolution Procedure? (ALL) 26. Building and Sustaining a Successful Advocacy Practice (ADVOCATE/PARENT) 27. Making the Most of the Attorney/Client Relationship -- For Attorneys (ALL) 28. Relief Is In Cite: The Hit Parade’s Top Forty Special Education Citations (ALL) 29. Can a School Punish a Child for His/Her Disability? (ALL) 30. Learning Style and the Sin of Omission (ALL) 31. Practical Tips for Divorced/Separated Parents & Advocates in IEP Process (ALL) 32. IEEs Made Simple (ALL) Breakout Session V -10:00 am – 11:15 am 33. RTI: Better SLD Determinations or Barrier to Eligibility? (ALL) 34. Making the Most of the Attorney/Client Relationship -- For Parents 35. Special Education Advocates Training (ALL) 36. Charter Schools: Implications on Special Education (ALL) 37. Building the Case: Addressing Key Factors at the IEP Table (ALL) 38. Administration, Information and Relationship Management Qualities for Success (ADVOCATE/PARENT) 39. FAPE Under IDEA 2004-- From Access to Results (ATTORNEY) 40. From the Start--A Pound of Prevention (ADVOCATE/PARENT) COPAA is proud to be a national leader in special education advocacy. Join us in celebration of our 10th Anniversary Conference The intended audience for each session is indicated in parentheses after the session name. Please select one workshop each time period. REGISTER ONLINE